Adams Patent: The First Double Action Revolver

Lot 615: Alexander Thomson Marked, Adams Patent Double Action Revolver

There are a lot of "firsts" in the world of firearms and with those "firsts" comes a great deal of misinformation and seemingly pedantic clarifications. For example, Colt did not make the first revolver, no matter what Wikipedia says. Conversely, when many folks think of the first semi-automatic pistol they incorrectly think of Hugo Borchardt's strangely beautiful C-93. While that is an early entry into the field of semi-automatic pistols, it is in fact predated by the Schönberger-Laumann of 1892. Borchardt enthusiasts or others wanting to maintain their fact's "correctness" counter by saying that the Borchardt was the first commercially successful semi-automatic.

That's where the mountains of confusing clarifying details begins to cloud history.

Now, the Borchardt isn't the first semi-automatic pistol, it's the first commercially successful semi-automatic pistol. By adding those two little italicized words, the claimant's statement remains true. However, to a society not mired in nuance, and more often focused on the biggest, fastest, first, longest, or other measurements of superlative magnitude, this aggrandizement can be misleading and often times, downright incorrect.

To that end, in researching this article, even the Schönberger-Laumann 1892 is referred to as the first commercially sold semi-auto pistol. Was this because the man who designed the pistol, Joseph Laumannm, had built earlier functioning models before he signed over his patents to the Gebruder Schönberger company? Is he predated by another pistol all together yet unearthed in my research? In any case, one can see how a quick clarifying term can change a gun's claim to a prestigious historic title. This is even worse when it comes to revolvers! Claims abound when it comes to: the first revolver, the first cartridge revolver, the first successful double-action (DA) cartridge revolver, the first standard issue revolver, the first modern double action revolver, and so on ad nauseum.

Nothing is wrong with acknowledging the contributions of the gradual improvements to firearms throughout history. Small improvements over time lead to big, finalized changes. Do you think Winchester would be famous without Walter Hunt, Lewis Jennings, Smith, Wesson, King, or Henry? In fact, too many inventors and contributors throughout history are often not given their due proportional to their influence. However, one must remain accurate in historical attribution. The first revolver was not invented by Samuel Colt. The first semi-auto service rifle was not the M1 Garand. The first lever action was not the Winchester. The first rimfire cartridge was not invented by Smith & Wesson.

The First Double Action Revolver

Robert Adams was a British gunsmith and inventor born in 1809. The general mentions of him historically are for his work at the London arms factory of George & John Deane. It was under their employ, on August 22, 1851, that he was granted a British patent for a revolver design that functioned in a revolutionary way (no pun intended). Adams' patent covered a new design of gun that indexed the cylinder, cocked and dropped the hammer, all with a single pull of the trigger.

At the same time Samuel Colt's revolvers were selling like hotcakes in the United States. His Colt Walker (1847), despite its limited production, was extremely effective for the men who used it (despite problems with ruptured cylinders), and it soon saw improvements in the subsequent models such as the Dragoon (1848), Baby Dragoon, and the 1851 Navy. Some of these weapons he brought to the 1851 Great Exhibition of Works of Industry of All Nations (a.k.a. The Great Exhibition of 1851) held at the Crystal Palace in London's Hyde park. Like many similar shows it sought to display each nation's products to each other and the world. For manufacturers, there could be no better time to make a name for one's self or to show off one's wares to big buyers and governments from all corners of the globe. There were only two revolvers on display at this exhibition (though other manufacturers such as Lefaucheux were present), a display by Colt and a booth of George & John Deane showing the new revolver design by Robert Adams. A collision course had been set.

The Deane & Adams revolver on display was a five-shot revolver was likely chambered in .500 caliber (12.7 mm). Other calibers would come later, such as the 1851 Infantry in .440 (11.2 mm) and the 1851 Pocket in .320 (7.65 mm).  In that huge expo building of glass and iron, the Deane booth of firearms was the only one that had brought a decorated firearm - a single revolver described as "ornately engraved." Colt, who had brought a large display, had only brought his plain, machine-made pistols, giving the Adams the lion's share of the public's attention. To add further insult to injury, the Deane brothers won a prize medal for their display, while Colt was issued an Honorable Mention. The burgeoning arms maker quickly turned the new found attention to his advantage, and found himself running against Colt in the military trials that began September 10, 1851 at the Royal Arsenal at Woolwich.

The Adams had several advantages over its American counterpart. First and foremost, it was a double-action revolver, and requiring only one hand to operate was seen as a large advantage. In fact, the revolver was solely a double action (DAO), with the hammer spur having been removed so that a shooter could not cock it manually. They were virtually hand-made and thus had a higher quality and fit than the Colt. The Adams took less time to reload than the Colt, fired a larger cartridge, fired it more quickly, weighed less, and did not experience a single misfire during the trials. It also utilized a solid frame with the barrel and frame being created in one forging, giving the gun additional strength, an important benefit before the introduction of more sophisticated metallurgy techniques. In the two hour test, the Adams fired 25 times with no misfires, but the Colt suffered four.

However, it had its disadvantages as well. The same hand fitting that gave the gun its high (though somewhat inconsistent) quality and solid feel, slowed production, eliminated part interchangeability, and increased its cost; something Colt did not suffer with his machine-made guns. It offered no recoil shield, its longer DAO trigger pull hurt the gun's accuracy, and the percussion nipples had not been hardened, sometimes resulting in several problems, but most notably their occasional fracturing upon detonation of the percussion cap. Also, while the rapid fire of the double action was appreciated, the lack of a single action option was viewed as a detriment.

As ordnance boards around the world tend to do, they chose the more traditional design and signed a contract with Colt that resulted in an overall sum of 9,500 revolvers going to the Royal Navy and 14,000 to the British Army (5,000 of which were produced in America). This purchase of mostly Model 1851 Navy revolvers was made despite the fact that the Ordnance Board did not approve either revolver. Perhaps this contract is what caused Colt to build his London factory, that "officially" began production on January 1, 1853. The mass-production and assembly lines were an eye-opening experience for the European gunsmiths of the day. Charles Dickens even came to tour the factory and wrote about his experience in the May 27, 1854 issue of his magazine, Household Words. Despite the Colt contract, many British officers still recognized the quality and higher stopping power of the Adams revolver, often buying them out of their own pockets.

While Colt was busy selling his single actions and being content with his military contracts, Adams was stoking the fires of improvement and commercial sales. He was putting immense pressure on Colt in retail sales and was so successful at such that the Deane brothers made him a partner, changing the name of the business to Deane, Adams, & Deane. He also kept improving his revolvers. By adding a bullet rammer similar to one in use by W. & J. Rigby (known today as John Rigby & Co), he quickly eliminated one major objection to his revolver.  To address the lack of single action operation Adams designed a system of his own, but eventually preferred that of Lieutenant Frederick E. B. Beaumont, to which he bought the patent. By incorporating the improved DA/SA action and hammer spur in his weapons, which were now being manufactured more cheaply and quickly, he had removed nearly every objection to this revolver. The newly improved revolvers are known as Beaumont-Adams revolvers and began production in 1856 (patent date for Beaumont is Feb 20, 1855). By the time production rolled around, they had also substituted the Rigby bullet rammer for one designed by James Kerr, Adams' cousin.

Lot 2461: Engraved and John Clough & Son Retailer Marked Beaumont-Adams Double Action Percussion Revolver
Note the newly added ramming lever flush to the left side of the barrel and the hammer spur.

This put both revolvers squarely in the middle of the Crimean War (Oct 1853 - Feb 1856), where each saw much more arduous testing than that of the Ordnance Board. The Colts were found to be more rugged, but the rapid firing, large caliber DA Adams revolvers held their own. Two readily available quotes best describe the reputations of the two weapons. The first is a letter from Crimean War soldier J. G. Crosse from the 88th Regiment of Foot, who felt compelled to write a letter to Adams after he experienced the following:

"I had one of your largest sized Revolver Pistols at the bloody battle of Inkermann, and by some chance got surrounded by the Russians. I then found the advantages of your pistol over that of Colonel Colt's, for had I to cock before each shot I should have lost my life. I should not have had time to cock, as they were too close to me, being only a few yards from me; so close that I was bayoneted through the thigh immediately after shooting the fourth man."

It is worth noting that the Russians also valued the Adams revolvers, often taking them as war trophies and eventually reproducing their own copies of the gun. The Colts, on the other hand, suffered from the reputation of being slow and under-powered, accusations made even more severe by the previous letter.The following letter was written by Lieutenant Colonel George Vincent Fosbery during the Indian Mutiny of 1857. It reads,

"An officer, who especially prided himself in his pistol shooting, was attacked by a stalwart mutineer armed with a heavy sword. The officer, unfortunately for himself, carried a Colt's Navy pistol of small caliber and fired a sharp-pointed bullet of sixty to the pound and a heavy charge of powder, its range being 600 yards, as I have frequently proved. This he proceeded to empty into the sepoy [an Indian soldier] as soon as he advanced, but having done so, he waited just one second too long to see the effect of his shooting and was cloven to the teeth by his antagonist, who then dropped down and died beside him. My informant told me that five out of the six bullets had struck the sepoy close together in the chest, and all had passed through him and out of his back."

It wouldn't take too many stories of men having their heads split open to turn the tides of opinion against the Colt revolvers. Beginning in 1855, Beaumont-Adams revolvers were ordered for the British Army and the War Department, most being chambered in .479 caliber. British officers, who had to purchase their own sidearms at this time, also favored the domestic product. With the loss of the military contract and the immense popularity of the Adams in the retail market, Colt was forced to close his London factory in 1856 (some sources say 1857), approximately four short years after it had opened. Some say that the experience in London soured Colt against double actions, which he never produced produced in his lifetime. Colt died in 1862; the first DA was the less-than-rugged Model 1877 "Lighting." Even rival Remington had a solid frame DA dating back to 1862 (pat'd 1858).  Even after their founder's passing, Colt seemed to be ignoring the writing on the wall.

Lot 621: Four European Double Action Revolvers
Only the 3rd from the top is not an Adams Patent.

Unfortunately for Adams, the view from the top would not last long.  In 1856 he had a falling out with the Deane brothers, left that partnership, took most of his patents with him, and founded the London Armoury Company on February 9, 1856. He had some help again from his cousin James Kerr, who would later develop the Kerrs Patent Revolver. By 1857 there was trouble in the provinces and the Indian Mutiny of 1857 cemented the Adams' position as the official sidearm of the British Army. When it came down to it, the practicality of the gun's rate of fire and large caliber were deemed more important than the suffered accuracy of the double-action.

Eventually, Adams would have his disagreements with the London Armoury Co. as well. He would sell his interest in the company, leaving it to Kerr, but would keep the rights to his revolver and have them produced under license, even by his most recent employer. This turned out to be remarkably prescient on Adams' part as the issue that sent him away was the increased production of infantry rifles at the expense of the production of his revolvers. The new rifles were to be sold to the newly formed Confederate States of America, the primary buyer for Kerr. At the end of the American Civil War, London Armoury lost its biggest client and went out of business the following year.

The standard issue revolvers Robert Adams made would only be replaced in 1867 by those made by his brother, John Adams. The pistols from John's Adams Patent Small Arms Company would remain the official revolvers of the British Army until they were replaced by the Enfield Mark I in 1880, the same year of Robert Adams' death.

-Written by Joel R. Kolander





Sources:

Ezell, Edward C. Handguns of the World. A Comprehensive International Guide to Military Revolvers and Self-Loaders. New York: Barnes & Noble, 1981. Print.

http://firearmshistory.blogspot.com/2010/07/revolver-double-action-revolver.html

http://tonnel-ufo.ru/eanglish/weapon/revolver-adams-m-1851.php

https://www.google.com/patents/US9694?dq=adams+revolver

The Prize for Capturing Geronimo, Part II

It may have been winter in 1885-1886, but George Crook was hot under the collar. As the head of the Department of Arizona, the Apache had made life miserable for the renowned "Indian Hunter." He had placed Geronimo and many of his followers on several reservations at different times, but they never stayed around long enough to permit any sort of lasting peace. Geronimo's latest departure, spurred in part by the U.S. Army's inaction to a deliberately provocative act, was especially embarrassing for Crook, who was now being hounded by Washington thanks to the renewed violence of the Chiricahua Apaches. From May 17, 1885 through January 1886, the band of 35 men, 8 boys, and roughly 100 women and children would move almost at will through deserts, canyons, and land considered impassable by most. They would rob and kill settlers, miners, and ranchers as their needs permitted.  They would assault the towns of Alma, Silver City, Grafton, and Camp Vincent. In their 16 month span of freedom they would kill nearly 100 people in total, mostly civilians. Crook had to stop them, and soon.

Standing in his way was the terrain of the Southwest, an unimaginably difficult and desolate landscape. Not only were there burning sands, towers of rock that stretched into the clear desert sky, steep terrain that descended into canyons and rose into mountains, but also an unbearable heat. These difficulties were further magnified by the method of travel which placed stealth and reconnaissance at a premium over speed. Both the conditions and the methods of travel are best detailed in the journal of a Lieutenant Marion P Maus, First Infantry. He writes on the methods of travel:

"In marching the command it was interesting to notice the methods adopted by our Indians in scouting the country to gain information and prevent surprise. It illustrated to us very clearly what we must expect from the hostiles, who would employ the same methods...Their system of advance guards and flankers was perfect, and as soon as the command went into camp, outposts were at once put out, guarding every approach. All this was done noiselessly and in secret, and without giving a single order. As scouts for a command in time of war they would be ideal. Small of stature, and apparently no match physically for the white man, yet when it came to climbing mountains or making long marches, they were swift and tireless...Nothing escaped their watchful eyes as they marched silently in their moccasined feet. By day small fires were built of dry wood to avoid smoke, and at night they were made in hidden places so as to be invisible. If a high point was in view, you could be sure that a scout had crawled to the summit and, himself unseen, with a glass or his keen eyes had searched the ground around."

To read the first-hand accounts of these men is to understand the importance of the Native American scouts and the clever methods utilized by the Apache to remain at large and undetected. The Apache had thought of everything: limiting campfires, locations of campfires, limiting smoke from said campfires, making camp with excellent observation points, ensuring escape routes, placing lookouts, and so on. Maus details the steps taken:

"The march was now conducted mostly by night. We suffered much from the cold, and the one blanket to each man used when we slept was scanty covering. Often it was impossible to sleep at all. At times we made our coffee and cooked our food in the daytime, choosing points where the light could not be seen, and using dry wood to avoid smoke. Our moccasins were thin and the rocks were hard on the feet. Shoes had been abandoned, as the noise made by them could be heard a long distance. The advance scouts kept far ahead. Several abandoned camps of the hostiles were found, the selection of which showed their constant care. They were placed on high points, to which the hostiles ascended in such a way that it was impossible for them to be seen; while in descending any pursuing party would have to appear in full view of the lookout they always kept in the rear. The labor of the Indian women in bringing the water and wood to these points was no apparent objection."

These conditions, documented as harsh to both the white soldiers and their Native American scouts, seemed to pose no trouble to the fugitive Apaches. They hid in the canyons, using them both as concealment and roadways. They fought only when they were at an advantage and by June, they had made their way to the Sierra Madre in Mexico. Crook formed two parties, led by Captain Emmet Crawford and Captain Wirt Davis, and sent them after the renegades that summer. The two groups of men separately chased Geronimo and his band into the autumn. The unbearable heat reached 120 degrees at times, and the sparseness of water and grass made pursuit impossible if not for the supply trains and pack mules. Assistant-Surgeon Leonard Wood, a member of the military detachment, is quoted as saying,

"During the latter part of June and July it was my good fortune to command the infantry. In the detachment of Companies D and K, 8th Infantry, were men who had served in India and South Africa, and, in their opinion, this was by far the hardest and roughest service they had ever seen. Infantry on this expedition marched in drawers and undershirts. I do not remember seeing a pair of blue trousers put on after once wearing the lighter articles mentioned above."

By September, Geronimo had again headed north toward the U.S. border and reports of murderous raiding parties sent shockwaves of fear through the area. Death and stolen livestock were regular occurrences in both New Mexico and Arizona. One Apache band had been stealing horses and mules at will, ending with over 200 animals at the expense of 38 civilian lives. Apaches back on U.S. soil was not something the Federal Government could abide, and the pressure came down even harder on an already frustrated Crook who again sent out Crawford and Davis. Crawford's party would locate them on January 9, 1886. His Lieutenant, Maus, wrote of the  event,

Geronimo, March 27, 1886. Cropped photo of C.S. Fly's original

"The trail was about six days old, and as we passed over it, here and there, the bodies of dead cattle, only partially used, were found...The difficulties of marching over a country like this by night, where it was necessary to climb over rocks and to descend into deep and dark canyons, can hardly be imagined. When we halted, which we sometimes not until midnight, we were sore and tired. We could never move until late in the day, as it was necessary to examine the country a long distance ahead before we started. At last, after a weary march, at sunset on the 9th of January, 1886, Noche, our Indian sergeant-major and guide, sent word that the hostile camp was located twelve miles away. The command was halted, and as the hostiles were reported camped on a high point, well protected and apparently showing great caution on their part, it was decided to make a night march and attack them at daylight... I cannot easily forget that night's march. All night long we toiled on, feeling our way. It was a dark and moonless night. For much of the distance the way led over solid rock, over mountains, down canyons so dark they seemed bottomless. It was a wonder the scouts could find the trail. Sometimes the descent became so steep that we could not go forward, but would have to wearily climb back and find another way. I marched by poor Captain Crawford, who was badly worn out; often he stopped and leaned heavily on his rifle for support, and again he used it for a cane to assist him. He had, however, an unconquerable will, and kept slowly on...We had marched continuously eighteen hours over a country so difficult that when we reached their camp Geronimo said he felt that he had no longer a place where the white man would not pursue him."

Crawford's company attacked at dawn after an exhausting night march. They might have had the element of surprise were it not for some braying burros that the Apaches allegedly used like guard dogs, and that Maus said, "These watchdogs of an Indian camp are better than were the geese of Rome." Then began a short firefight that echoed through the canyons and resulted in the escape of many of the Apache, however in their haste they had left many of their supplies behind, including meat from both deer and ponies. Shortly after, a Native American woman came to the newly claimed camp to arrange a meeting with Geronimo and Natchez, and to beg for food. They agreed to a meeting the next morning by a river about a mile distant.

After a cold sleepless night, the camp awoke to the alarm calls from the scouts. Maus, Lieutenant Shipp, and Tom Horn all ran to see what had caused ruckus, but all they could see were shapes moving about in the fog.  They thought it might be the scouts from Davis' party, but all at once the camp found itself embroiled in another firefight. Crawford's men hesitated to return fire thinking it might be their own men, and so Crawford frantically yelled for the firing to stop. After 15 minutes or so it was over, and it was discovered that the assailants were Mexicans who thought they were attacking the Apache camp. As the commanders of the Americans and Mexicans approached one another to discuss further action, the Americans noticed their own scouts loading weapons and hiding behind rocks.  This was not lost on the Mexicans whose scouts had also taken a nearby ravine to covertly move to a nearby high point that flanked the Americans. Crawford immediately told the scouts to not fire, as did Major Corredor, the Mexican commander. The tension was palpable, life and death hanging heavily by a gossamer thread.

A crack of a single gun shot rang out, and immediately the surrounding rocks exhaled their smoke as .50 cal Sharps carbines and .44 caliber Remington rifles went about their deadly work. The Mexican Major was felled immediately, and his lieutenant was struck 13 times. Two others hid behind a small tree and were killed when the tree was cut down by gunfire. Maus found shelter immediately behind some rocks, but upon doing so, found Crawford "lying with his head pierced by a ball. His brain was running down his face and some of it lay on the rocks." Struck with grief, Maus still gave orders to scouts to prevent the U.S. troops from being flanked. They eventually repelled the Mexicans, and after two tense meetings the two sides traded aid and stock, and went about their way. Despite his grave wounds, Crawford would not pass away for several more days. With his death, Maus was in command and he met with Geronimo 20 miles into Mexican territory on March 25-27, 1886.

Maus, Horn, an interpreter, and five scouts went unarmed into their meeting per Geronimo's conditions. The next day their chiefs arrived with a few men, fully armed, and within minutes of the meeting, Geronimo asked Maus, "Why did you come here?" Maus answered, "I came to capture or destroy you and your band." Geronimo then rose, slowly walked to Maus, and shook his hand, saying that he could trust the man. After some negotiating, Maus arranged for Geronimo to meet Crook to discuss the terms of surrender. The discussion would take place in Cañon de los Embudos (Skeleton Canyon) in the Sierra Madre. Geronimo eventually surrendered with these exasperated words, "Do with me what you please.  Once I moved about like the wind. Now I surrender to you, and that is all." It was during these negotiations that photographer C.S. (Camillus Sidney) Fly would take 15 photographs of the Apache men. Using 8x10 inch glass negatives, they are the only photographs of Geronimo's surrender and the only known photographs taken of Native Americans while still at war with the United States.

C.S. Fly's photo of the well-armed Chiricahuan men captioned, "Scene in Geronimo's camp before surrender to General Crook, March 27, 1886: Group in Natches' camp; boys with rifles."

A photo of Fly's captioned "Geronimo poses with members of his tribe and General George Crook's staff during peace negotiations on March 27, 1886."

Captioned: "Geronimo, Yanozha (Geronimos´s brother-in-law), Chappo (Geronimo´s son by his second wife), and Fun (Yanozha´s half brother) (right to left) in 1886." Photo by C. S. Fly

Captioned: ""Scene in Geronimo's camp...before surrender to General Crook, March 27, 1886: group of 18 men, women and children." Photo by C. S. Fly

Women and children in Geronimo's camp during late March 1886. Shown in the photo is 11-year old Jimmy McKinn, who was abducted by the band. He had been kidnapped in September 1885, and "fiercely resisted" returning to his parents despite the fact that the same Apaches had killed his brother. It was reported in more than one newspaper that he had been "fully Indianized."

Crook sent the following message:

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"Camp el Canon de los Embudos, 20 miles SE of San Bernardino, Mexico
March 26, 1886

Lieutenant-General P.H. Sheridan, Washington DC

I met the hostiles yesterday at Lieut. Maus' camp, they being located about five hundred yards distant. I found them very independent, and fierce as so many tigers. Knowing what pitiless brutes they are themselves, they mistrust everyone else. After my talk with them it seemed as if it would be impossible to get any hold on them, except on condition that they be allowed to return to their reservation on their old status.

Today things look more favorable.

George E. Crook, Brigadier General

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The following day he sent another message, the first half of which is shown here:

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"Camp el Canon de los Embudos

March 27, 1886

Lieutenant-General P.H. Sheridan, Washington DC, Confidential

In conference with Geronimo and the other Chiricahuas I told them they must decide at once on unconditional surrender or to fight it out. That in the latter event hostilities should be resumed at once, and the last one of them killed if it took fifty years. I told them to reflect on what they were to do before giving me their answer. The only propositions they would entertain were these three: That they should be sent east for not exceeding two years, taking with them such of their families as so desired, leaving at Apache Nana who is seventy years old and superannuated; or that they should all return to the reservation upon their old status; or else return to the war-path with its attendant horrors.

As I had to act at once I have today accepted their surrender upon the first proposition. Kaetena, the young chief who less than two years ago was the worst Chiricahua of the whole lot, is now perfectly subdued. He is thoroughly reconstructed, has rendered me valuable assistance, and will be of great service in helping to control these Indians in the future..."

George Crook, Brigadier General

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It was only days later that Crook would find out just how unacceptable these terms were back in Washington.  Sheridan wrote:

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Washington DC, March 30, 1886

General George Crook, Fort Bowie, Arizona

You are confidentially informed that your telegram of March 29th is received. The President cannot assent to the surrender of the hostiles on the terms that their imprisonment last for two years, with the understanding of their return to the reservation. He instructs you to enter into negotiations on the terms of their unconditional surrender, only sparing their lives; in the meantime, and on the receipt of this order, you are directed to take every precaution against the escape of the hostiles, which must not be allowed under any circumstances. You must make at once such disposition of your troops as will insure against further hostilities by completing the destruction of the hostiles unless these terms are accepted.

P.H. Sheridan, Lieut.-Gen.

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In other words, "You already have them. If they do not comply, kill them all." What happens next is not exactly known to history, but two theories pervade.

1. Liquor. It is known that on the night two parties agreed to the terms of surrender, there was drinking by the Apache. They caused such a ruckus that Maus heard them and the echoing as they fired their guns into the air. The next day, 28 March, everyone moved camp en route to satisfy the terms of the surrender. That afternoon Maus went into their camp and found more drunken behavior and that Natchez (future chief and 2nd son of Chief Cochise) had shot his wife. With that, Crook had all the nearby mescal available for sale destroyed. There were a few more disturbances, but ultimately things settled down. That night Geronimo, Natchez, and 35-38 others had escaped again and headed for Mexico. All of this is documented in Maus's journal.

The rumor is that a soldier (or rancher) who had sold them the mescal (or whiskey) had told them that they would all be slaughtered the minute they crossed the border. The Chiricahua Apache, already supremely wary, needed no further convincing to escape with their lives.


2. "Take your job and..." Crook had obtained surrender yet again on the 27th, but heard back quickly from President Cleveland and General Sheridan in the telegram shown above that the terms were unacceptable. The answering telegram from Crook reads,

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Fort Bowie, A.T., March 30, 1886
Lieut.-Gen. P.H. Sheridan, Washington, DC

A courier just in from Lieut. Maus reports that during last night Geronimo and Natchez with twenty men and thirteen women left his camp, taking no stock. He states that there was no apparent cause for their leaving. Two dispatches received from him this morning reported everything going on well and the Chiricahuas in good spirits. Chihuahua and twelve men remained behind. Lieut. Maus with his scouts, except enough to take the other prisoners to Bowie, have gone in pursuit.

Geo. Crook, Brigadier-General

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Did Crook "lose" the Apache because of the response from back East? Crook would never commit treason, but he was well-known to be an advocate for the Native Americans and their fair treatment. Was he refusing to renege on their agreed upon surrender? Was he finally giving the finger to his bosses in Washington? Or was it the really the alcohol and threat of annihilation that sent the Apaches packing?  A follow-up telegram from Sheridan seems to indicate which theory they believed.

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Washington, DC, March 31, 1886
General George Crook, Fort Bowie, A.T.

Your dispatch of yesterday received. It has occasioned great disappointment. It seems strange that Geronimo and party could have escaped without the knowledge of the scouts.

P.H. Sheridan, Lieut.-General

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A brief exchange occurred where Crook explained the situation and Sheridan writes back a very backhanded communication giving Crook some very unnecessarily basic strategies to follow and including guilt-inducing phrases like "Geronimo will undoubtedly enter upon other raids of murder and robbery..." It was no secret that Sheridan, at odds with most military minds on the matter, did not approve of Crook's use of Native American scouts, and so Crook, clearly agitated, in a final telegraph after defending his actions yet again, wrote the following:

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Fort Bowie, A.T., April 1, 1886

Lieut.-General P.H. Sheridan, Washington DC

"...That the operations of the scouts in Mexico have not proven as successful as was hoped, is due to the enormous difficulties they have been compelled to encounter from the nature of the Indians they have been hunting, and the character of the country in which they have operated, and of which persons not thoroughly conversant with both can have no conception. I believe that the plan upon which I have conducted operations is the one most likely to prove successful in the end. It may be, however, that I am too much wedded to my own views in this matter, and as I have spent nearly eight years of the hardest work in my life in this department, I respectfully request that I may now be relieved from its command.

George Crook, Brigadier-General

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Nelson Appleton Miles during his Civil War service

Sheridan was only too happy to oblige, sending word the very next day to General N.A. Miles that he would be relieving Crook as commander of the Department of Arizona, very much a surprise to Miles. Even though Crook had just quit his job, he still wrote Sheridan in reference to allowing the 80 or so Apache that remained to continue on to their reservation. Sheridan would have none of it. He reasoned that since Geronimo had broken the terms of surrender, he was under no obligation to do anything except to treat the Apache as prisoners and send them to Fort Marion (known today as Castillo de San Marcos in Ft. Lauderdale, FL). Crook was out and Miles was in.  His orders: capture or kill.

Miles had long been in contention with Crook as the country's top Indian Fighter. He had a stellar service record in the Civil War, being wounded three times and earning a Medal of Honor. He was flamboyant, earned the name "Old Bear Coat" because of his fur-trimmed overcoat, and had high aspirations. He even married well, politically speaking, to the daughter of Gen. William T. Sherman, and undoubtedly saw the task before him as another rung in the ladder of promotions that he strove to climb. Miles personally selected Captain Henry Ware Lawton to lead the primary chase, a man imposing in height, a handsome appearance, and who Miles described as "...a man of great energy and endurance." He would need every last bit of it for the task ahead. Lawton was paired with assistant surgeon Leonard Wood and the two became quick friends.

Lawton in the late 1870's.

Miles immediately ordered troops to guard every waterhole and pass known to be used by the Apaches. In a spiteful act, he sent the scouts who had fought so effectively with Crook along with the surrendered Apaches to be exiled in Florida. It had the intended effect; Crook never forgave the man. Miles also set to work the mountains and unrelenting sun that had opposed the pursuing troops for so long by setting up a heliograph system. From the Greek words for "sun" and "write," Heliographs consisted of a system of mirrors mounted on surveying equipment that were then positioned on geographic high points that could flash signals to one another. The messages would then be forwarded on to subsequent outposts and a message could travel a great distance very quickly. One message was recorded to have traveled approximately 700 miles in four hours, and 30 such stations were positioned throughout Arizona and northern Sonora. Whether the Apaches knew their significance or assumed they were some sort of spirit or magic is unknown, but the fact they they avoided those flashing mountain tops is well documented.

Perhaps the most effective tactic used by Miles was the sheer number of men used. Crook had spared no expense, but Miles went overboard. 5,000 troops were summoned, over double the amount used by Crook, 100 mules, 30 packers, and a number of new Native American scouts that sources cite anywhere between 20 and 600 scouts (again supervised by Chief of Scouts Tom Horn). Regardless the exact numbers, it mattered little. Geronimo and his 35-38 Apaches were raiding, killing, and moving unabated. Arizona was in a panic. Like a bad children's game of "telephone" the numbers of his band and the death toll rose each time the stories were retold. By July he had returned to the depths of the Sierra Madre to recuperate, where pursuit would be more difficult.

That whole time Lawton and his men had been in a fruitless chase. Scouting and marching were exhausting in the desert heat, but they soldiered on and seldom gave their quarry a worthwhile rest. Lawton himself lost 40 pounds reducing his robust frame to a slender 190 pounds. Despite the tremendous hardship that lay at the feet of the soldiers, Lawton remained popular with his men. One soldier, Alfred Sims, wrote, "To his men a kinder officer never lived, and the one thing that made him so popular was that he would never send any one to a place where he would not go himself." Several skirmishes between the two forces are recorded in the firsthand account of Major G. W. Baird. He describes the chase as follows,

"The trail was taken up in succession, by twenty-five different commands or detachments, representing four regiments... This vigorous pursuit and the five encounters with different commands convinced the Indians that Arizona afforded them no place of security, and they hurried from its borders to the supposed inaccessible fastnesses of the Sierra Madre in Mexico. Though the contests of forces so small may not merit the name of battle, yet in no battle have the participants incurred greater risks or evinced a higher degree of heroism... Through such a region and with such drafts upon the strength and fortitude of the men this force kept up the pursuit during the intolerable heat of that summer of ‘86, and with such steadfastness and skill that no craft or device of the savages could throw them off the trail or secure to the pursued an hour’s respite. "

In July Lawton's men surprised Geronimo's camp, but only recovered their horses and supplies. Not long after the Apache returned the surprise and killed 5 soldiers in the process. Miles' vision of a quick victory was evaporating in the Arizona sun. To that end, he decided a change in tactic was necessary. His previous command had been, "Commanding officers are expected to continue a pursuit until capture or until they are assured a fresh command is on the trail.” Now he decided that perhaps Crook's tactics had some validity to them after all. On July 13, 1886 he sent 1st Lieutenant Charles B. Gatewood to accompany Lawton and obtain Geronimo's surrender. Gatewood had been an aide to Crook, whose experience included West Point and time with the 6th Cavalry. More importantly he spoke some Apache, valued their customs, and was already known to Geronimo, having met with the leader on several prior occasions. This shift from "pursue and capture" to "obtain surrender" initially miffed Lawton who knew the immense efforts he and his men had undertaken, but he eventually accepted the new tactic, perhaps realizing it as the best way to complete the mission at hand.

It was late August when Gatewood, accompanied by two scouts and 25 men, began probing the edges of the Sierra Madre for information on the whereabouts of the Apache. It didn't take long for word to reach him about Apache women being sent into the small Mexican town of Frontéras to buy mescal. The Mexicans were hoping to use the situation to their advantage to trick the band into coming into town to massacre them, but Gatewood had other plans. He, his scouts, and half his men followed one of the Apache women as she returned to their camp. The scouts, far ahead of the rest of the group, were seen and met by a brave to permit them passage. One scout was kept for assurances and the other was sent back saying that Geronimo would meet, but with no troops. Taking the small loophole available, Gatewood proceeded to the meeting but brought along his remaining scout.

Gatewood had brought a healthy supply of tobacco in his saddle bags and before long he was sitting and smoking in part of a large semi-circle that had found itself near the bank of the Bavispe River. Several sources cite Geronimo as setting his rifle down 20 feet away from Gatewood before shaking his hand and sitting in part of the circle. However, he sat so close that Gatewood could easily feel the revolver in Geronimo's coat pocket pressing into his hip. Geronimo, an apt spokesman though not the chief, stated that they were ready for the message from Miles. Gatewood got right to brass tacks.















"Surrender, and you will be sent with your families to Florida, there to await the decision of the President as to your future disposition.  Accept these terms or fight it out to the bitter end."

The Apache were silent a while, and then expressed their desire to be placed back on the reservation and to receive an exemption from further punishment.  Otherwise, Geronimo said, they would continue to fight. Gatewood, being an honest ambassador, said that he could offer nothing more than Miles' proposal and to do so would only serve to worsen the situation. They continued to talk, with Gatewood continuing for impress on the Apache the consequences for each of their potential options. Fighting would bring death. Running now and surrendering later would bring harsher terms. By then it was noon and the meeting stopped for the midday meal. After eating, Geronimo seemingly on the edge of fury, demanded of Gatewood, "Take us to the reservation - or fight!" Nachez calmed the situation, and Gatewood relayed one final piece of news: all the other Chiricahua Apaches had already been moved to Florida.

The effect of the news was immediate. They were shocked,  and had assumed they could still join their families at the reservation. Now there was no hope for such a reunion. Even if they went back to the reservation, they would be with other Apache tribes with whom they were not on good terms. Their fighting spirit deflated, the Chiricahuas spoke privately for a moment, before Geronimo asked him quite earnestly, "We want your advice. Consider yourself not a white man, but one of us; remember all that has been said today and tell us what we should do." Gatewood replied, "Trust General Miles and surrender to him." By then evening had fallen and the Chiricahuas agreed to meet in the morning with their final decision. The news was exactly what Lawton had been hoping to hear. With several stipulations to ensure their safety along the way, Geronimo's band agreed to meet with Miles to discuss surrender. The date was August 25, 1886, and they all left together that day, headed for the U.S. border.

Despite the great importance to all parties involved the meeting almost never happened. The Apaches remained armed, citing the need to protect themselves from Mexican troops until they were safely in the U.S., and from the U.S. troops until a surrender was peaceably reached. The very first day, those concerns were proven well founded when the Apache and their escort were approached by the Mexican commander located in Frontéras and 200 infantry soldiers who were claiming rights to capture the Apache. Lawton spoke with them, while Gatewood took the Apache some 10 miles North to await the results of the matter. After several Mexican demands were declined by both the Apache and the U.S. troops, the Mexicans had to settle to send along a single soldier with the group to ensure that Geronimo was indeed surrendering to the Americans. This was a bold and honorable move on Lawton's part. His men were outnumbered, outgunned, and they were on Mexican soil, but he had given his word as an officer to protect the Apache and he intended to see it through. They traveled through Guadalupe Canyon to the San Bernadino Valley until they reached Skeleton Canyon

That encounter set the tone for a extremely tense trip. Much weighed on the men in charge of this mission. If they failed, the reaction from Washington would be anything but favorable. If they succeeded, certainly promotions and fame awaited. So many before them had failed, how would they succeed?  The end of their journey was so close, but the Apache remained fully armed and had a nasty penchant for escaping into the nearly inaccessible Sierra Madre.  Exacerbating the tension, Miles refused to meet at the appointed time and place for nine days. The Apache grew even more suspicious and wary than usual. Lawton and Gatewood pleaded with them and soothed them over and over again. On several occasions the Chiricahua Apaches asked Gatewood if he would run away with them (sources differ on whether this was to resume a life of raiding, or to continue on toward Ft. Bowie to meet with Miles themselves). Lawton wrote his anxious letters to his wife of his predicament. A rumor reached Geronimo that he would be killed, and they took off, but they were not gone long before Gatewood reached them and assured them of their safety. Finally on September 3, 1886 Miles arrived, only after having been sent Geronimo's brother as a hostage, and met with Gatewood and Lawton.

The very next day, Geronimo and Nachez agreed on the terms of surrender, and by September 8, they were on an eastbound train headed for Florida. The reign in the West was at an end. It had taken over 5,000 white men, 3 years, and two generals, but finally Geronimo and his band of around three dozen had succumbed to the relentless waves of white men from the East crashing into his desert realm.

The Rifle

Lieut. George E. Albe

Upon the surrender, there was much rejoicing on both coasts of the country. The higher ups in Washington and the military had gotten their man and could finally silence those crying out for a resolution. The people of Arizona and New Mexico were also able to breathe a sigh of relief for their safety and the security of their livestock. The news traveled quickly across the country and it would not take long before it reached the ears of Lieutenant George E. Albee.  Lawton and Albee had served together in the Civil War and become life long personal friends, though while the former's service continued until mere days before the 20th century, the latter's ended in 1878 when he retired from the Army. After his duties there, Albee resumed his strong interest in firearms.  He went to work for Winchester Repeating Arms and became a man of some influence there, helping to develop the Hotchkiss rifle and receiving no less than two patents. He also developed a sizable firearms collection and, having been a crack shot since his service in the Civil War, went on to win many shooting competitions.

This dear and close friend of Lawton, presented Lawton with the lever action rifle shown throughout this story, Model 1886, serial number 1.

Perhaps telling that the gift is between two military men, the gun is not bathed in precious metals or covered with elaborate engraving. On the contrary, the gun remains quite handsome in its original configuration, and in near mint condition. The case hardening is vivid and is still abundant even on the buttplate.

Understated for such a historic event, the gun is marked in tribute only by a small inscription behind the rear sight on top of the octagon barrel that reads, "Albee to Lawton." It is a simple, but heartfelt gift for a man who struggled mightily for months, but never at the expense of his dignity, honor, nor duty.

In a letter dated November 1, 1886 and addressed to "My Dear Albee," Lawton speaks of a banquet in his honor in Albuquerque. He did not want to attend, but was ordered to do so by Miles. There Lawton was presented with what he calls, "a handsome and valuable pocket watch," shown below. It was made by E. Howard & Co. in Boston, and is engraved with a message from a grateful people that reads,

Presented to

Capt. H.W. Lawton

4th U.S. Cavalry

By the Cattlemen of Central New Mexico

as a token of their appreciation of his

gallant service in the capture of the 

Apache Indian Chief 

~ Geronimo ~

and his band.

Albuquerque, New Mexico

Sept. 27th, 1886

Lawton was also presented with a watch chain (shown above), every link of which is inscribed with the names of men who accompanied him during the chase of Geronimo. The rifle, the watch, and the chain are all to be sold in a single lot during Rock Island Auction Company's 2016 April Premiere Firearms Auction.

Appearing in the same auction, although in a different lot, is a regal Horstman & Son/Weyerberg sword presented to Lawton. As one can see in the photo above it is an Damascus bladed Officers sword covered in etchings and gold portraying patriotic and floral motifs. The scabbard and furniture are intricately sculpted to match. The center band of the scabbard is inscribed to Lawton and reads, "Lt. Col. Henry W. Lawton/From the Officers and men of the/30th Indiana Infantry Regt. Vol./ February 10, 1865." The tip and upper bands of the scabbard have been inscribed but instead document Lawton's extensive battle record beginning at Shiloh and continuing on through the battle of Nashville. It is another stunning testimony to a man who was clearly beloved by his men regardless of his rank or the conflict in which he fought. He was a man not without his flaws, he battled with alcoholism and his military performance is generally not considered stellar, however author Steven L Ossad best sums him up as such,

"In the end, however, his core strengths as a soldier and a man—a strong personal code of honor, unflinching loyalty to his comrades and they to him, cool personal courage under fire, extraordinary physical endurance, and good will towards his fellow man—overshadowed his flaws. In several notable instances, even those who were once his enemies came to regard him with respect."





-Written by Joel R. Kolander

SOURCES:

Capps, Benjamin. The Old West: The Great Chiefs. Alexandria, VA: Time-Life, 1981. Print.

Lockwood, Frank C. The Apache Indians. New York: MacMillan, 1938. Print.

http://www.discoverseaz.com/History/Capt_Maus.html

http://www.discoverseaz.com/History/Crook_Miles.html

http://www.discoverseaz.com/History/Miles_Geronimo.html

http://www.southernnewmexico.com/Articles/People/Geronimossurrender-Skelet.html

Ossad, Steven L. "Henry Ware Lawton: Flawed Giant and Hero of Four Wars." Army History Winter 2007: 4-25. Web. <http://www.history.army.mil/html/bookshelves/resmat/civil_war/articles/article_from_AH63w.pdf>